Mooncake is an indispensable traditional Chinese pastry enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar. I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you the mooncake recipe I’ve just made. Over time, the style and purpose of this festive dessert have evolved …
Jian dui (sesame ball / 麻团 / 煎堆 / 芝麻球) is a well-loved fried Chinese pastry made from glutinous rice flour. This delectable dessert has a crisp and chewy sesame-coated exterior and a sweet, flavorful filling inside. Traditional fillings include red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or peanut paste, while modern twists use cheese or …
Sweet potato balls are a simple and delicious Malaysian dessert with only three ingredients. It is a traditional Malaysian Chinese street food sold in night markets and street food stores. These balls have a crispy exterior and a soft and chewy interior, providing a delightful contrast in texture that makes them a favorite among the …
Whenever I attend a Chinese banquet dinner, the final course is always a flaky crepe filled with red bean paste that is sweet and flaky, called red bean pancake (锅饼/woh bang). I have wanted to make this snack for a while, and with only ten days left before the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, it’s …
Tang Yuan (汤圆) is a traditional Chinese glutinous rice dumpling commonly served during the Winter Solstice (冬至) and the Lantern Festival (元宵节), marking family reunion, harmony, and completeness. In the past, almost every Chinese household would gather to make Tang Yuan together, from children to elders, turning the process itself into a meaningful family ritual. …
Seri Muka is a Malaysian dessert consisting of two layers. The custard layer is infused with pandan extract, sitting on a coconut milk flavored glutinous rice base. The contrasting flavor of the two layers makes it the most popular nyonya kuih (dessert) among the Baba Nyonya and the Malays. Seri Muka means beautiful face or …
What is ondeh ondeh? It is a sweet delicacy with palm sugar wrapped within a glutinous rice flour dough and coated with salted grated coconut. The Indonesian version of ondeh-ondeh is called klepon. It is a popular snack in Southeast Asia. There are other names for ondeh ondeh. My Indonesian friend said it is one …
Osmanthus jelly is one of the best desserts among the Hong Kong dim sum for a reason. It has an attractive, crystal-like translucent appearance studded with goji berries. This lightly scented jelly with the soothing taste of rock sugar is the perfect dessert after a hearty meal of dim sums. Let’s get into the detail …
What is an image in your mind of a pineapple bun look like? You may visualize it as a bun with some pineapple jam as the filling. But in reality, there isn’t any pineapple in the bun. Eighteenth years ago, I visited a cafe called Polo Bun, serving these pineapple-shaped buns as the main menu …
Mango sticky rice (khao neow mamuang / ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง) is an amazing and authentic Thai dessert. It is typical street food in Thailand, especially during summer, when mango is in season. This dessert is also popular in other South East Asia countries, including my hometown, Malaysia. Mango sticky rice is hugely popular in the Thai restaurants …